About West Denver

• 63,000 residents
• 21,000 existing housing units, with 5,000 planned housing units
• High percentage of population under age 18
• Lower income levels compared to Denver’s median household income
• High levels of unemployment
• High percentage immigrant population
• The majority of the area is considered one of the highest areas of concentrated poverty (30% or more) in Denver
• Low percentage of women seeking prenatal care
• Localized areas of high violent crime

What is the West Denver Project?

• That’s an excellent question, as I didn’t know the answer myself until a couple weeks ago. The West Denver Project is a partnership with the City and County of Denver, the Denver Housing Authority, the Denver Foundation, and Enterprise Community Partners.
• Addresses: affordability, career development, education, economic development, infrastructure funding gaps, natural systems, connectivity, health and food, community empowerment
• Goal: To model sustainable and resilient urban regeneration
• “A long-term, collective impact, integrated approach for restoring the economic, environmental, and social health of West Denver through the efforts of local minds and hands”

Strengths in West Denver

• Proximity to downtown, Auraria Campus, S. Platte River, highways
• Young population
• Natural systems
• Previous and ongoing efforts
• Mosaic of Cultures

Critical Issues in West Denver

• Access to healthy food and lifestyle
• Affordable housing (gentrification)
• Connectivity
• Cradle to career and adult education
• Infrastructure funding gaps
• Workforce training & local jobs

Come back for more information (part II) about the project!

For more information: www.citycraftventurs.com/portfolio/west-denver

After getting acclimated to DU last year, I noticed that my life was all about school and my assistantship in the Office of Student Conduct. I lacked the engagement on campus that I had in undergrad and struggled finding a place that I felt like I contributed meaningfully to DU. Luckily, I saw a posting for the Community Engaged Fellow position and now find myself working in collaboration with the West Denver Project. While I'm still figuring out what this project entails and how I can use my skills to advance community engagement and establish connections, I am excited to be in a position that is dedicated to the public good and social justice issues.